Drive
by iloveromance
Summary: After a fight with Sherry, a visibly shaken Daphne arrives at an unexpected place. When she returns home, she finds herself wondering if Sherry had been right all along. And it's this thought that beckons her to return to the Montana. But what transpires changes her life and their relationship forever. (Episode: "Daphne Hates Sherry") ***Rated M***.
1. Chapter 1

With trembling hands she packed her bag (just enough for a one-night visit) and slung it over her shoulder, willing her tears to remain at bay. Bloody hell, why was she so upset? It was just a stupid fight with the stupid, annoying woman that Mr. Crane found so appealing. She couldn't understand why she would let someone like Sherry get the best of her, and it was obviously the reaction that Sherry was looking for. But now the words of that retched woman rang loudly in Daphne's ears;

" _You're too rigid! Too thin! Maybe you wouldn't be so touchy if you didn't wake up next to no-one every morning! You're not seeing anybody… Jack is a great guy! Oh now you're so pretty. I can't understand why men aren't buzzing around you!"_

Fighting the angry tears that filled her eyes suddenly became much more difficult and she found herself looking away as she moved through the living room, ignoring Frasier's questions and the shouting of his father. Not to mention Sherry's horrible attempt at an apology. She ignored it all, choosing instead to leave the condo and slam the door. Her heart was pounding so quickly that she could barely think and she pressed the elevator button repeatedly. Oh why was the damn thing always so slow?

She could take the stairs. Yes, that's what she would do. Get rid of some of her unwanted energy. But it was so hot. She'd surely pass out by the time she reached the 5th floor and it was bound to cause a scene. It wasn't hard to imagine the things that Sherry woudl have to say once word got out about that fiasco. It was best to wait for the elevator, no matter how long it took.

She closed her eyes, counting to ten; a technique that she'd heard Frasier and Niles suggest a hundred times to keep one's self calm. And amazingly, it seemed to work. Like magic, the elevator doors opened, allowing her to step inside.

Soon she was walking past Morrie the doorman, grateful when she reached her car. Her heart was pounding against her chest as she climbed into the car and started the ignition. And seconds later, her tears unleashed themselves in full force. She knew that she shouldn't be driving on the streets in this condition; hurt and upset over what Sherry had said to her, but she just got so mad. How dare Sherry call her _rigid_ and reiterate the fact that Daphne didn't have a man! Just because she was single didn't mean… Well, it didn't matter anyway. Sherry had no idea what she was talking about. No idea at….

Daphne slowed the car to a stop, having driven blindly through the streets of Seattle. But she never imagined that she'd end up here. It wasn't planned, it wasn't even intended and yet here she was, staring at the beautiful apartment building that overlooked the city of Seattle; The Montana, the home of the man who had somehow become her best friend.

Now she stood at his front door, her heart racing beneath her chest. This was crazy. He might not even be home. And even if he was home, there was a good chance that he might not be alone. What would she say to him? How could she possibly explain why she was standing on his doorstep? But one thing was certain; she knew deep down that despite any inconvenience that her showing up at his home unannounced might cause, he'd never turn her away.

She could always count on Niles Crane, even on a hot summer night.


	2. Chapter 2

The door opened unexpectedly and she found herself staring into his eyes, but it was only in that moment that she realized how blue they really were; like the crystal blue of Puget Sound or the sky on a clear, sunny day. And then she noticed other things, such as the way he was dressed from head to toe in white. He was dressed the way he often dressed for his squash games with his brother. But this was different. He looked different... Handsome. His white shirt was unbuttoned, just the top three buttons, but it was enough to give her a glimpse of his chest; a trait that made him seem incredibly sexy. His long sleeves were rolled up to just below the elbow, and the beads of sweat on his brow indicated that it was just as hot in his apartment as it was in the hallway.

 _Oh my…_

She began to feel warmer than before, but she knew it wasn't from the heat. What was wrong with her, thinking of him this way? He was, essentially, her boss. But more importantly, he was her friend and it just wasn't right….

"Daphne…"

He was clearly stunned to see her standing at his doorstep, a bag slung over her shoulder as though she had come for a sleepover. And suddenly she was very nervous. "H-hello Dr. Crane. I'm so sorry to bother you like this but I had an awful row with Sherry and I can't face her anymore tonight. Would it be all right if I stayed here with you?"

His eyes moved slowly upward and his face became pale. He swallowed hard, his lips pursed and he appeared as though he might faint. Instinctively she reached out to steady him as a vision flashed before her eyes. But she was too late. He swayed only for a moment before collapsing to the hardwood floor, frightening her to no end.

"Dr Crane!"

She was on her hands and knees and her overnight bag fell to the floor with a thud. Oh God, what was she supposed to do now? She knelt beside him, stroking his forehead as she said his name again and again. But to her dismay he was completely unresponsive. In a desperate measure, she reluctantly left him there while she rose to her feet and darted for the kitchen. There must be something, anything… And then she found it in his Sub-Zero refrigerator; a bottle of minced garlic. Yes, that should do the trick. Anything to revive him.

 _Oh God…_

The thought of him lying helpless on his living room floor had her dashing out of the kitchen forgetting, albeit temporarily, how stifling hot it was in his apartment; even hotter than it had been at Frasier's. How could he possibly stand it? But those thoughts were soon quelled by her urgent need to help him.

"Dr. Crane!" She shouted, as though he could hear her. But of course there was no response. He was out cold. Once again she was on her hands and knees, cradling his head in her hands. With trembling fingers she twisted the lid from the bottle and held it under his nose. The strong scent made his eyelids flutter and he gasped in surprise.

She smiled at him and he winced in pain staring at her in complete confusion. "D-Daphne? What happened?"

"You fainted. Let me help you up."

Carefully she put her arm around him and helped him to his feet, doing her best not to to let him fall. Slowly, she guided him onto the fainting couch and laid his head against a pillow, content to stroke his forehead and cheeks once more. "Just rest, all right? Everything will be okay. Would you like some water?"

"Um, yes, please. And some aspirin. I think they're-."

"In the cabinet, I know. Don't move. I'll be right back."

"A-all right. But-."

She disappeared into the kitchen, pausing to collect herself. What was she thinking, coming over unannounced, scaring poor Dr. Crane to death? Of course he didn't expect her to show up at his house. Why would he? She wasn't the type to come over for casual visits; at least not alone, and never under such circumstances. What would his brother think? And what about his father?

She grabbed a bottle of aspirin and filled a glass with water, setting them down briefly to fill a clear plastic bag with ice, which she wrapped in a towel. And then she hurried back into the living room, relived to find him sitting upright, holding his hand to the back of his head. where he was sitting up, his hand on the back of his head. But her relief quickly gave way to guilt. He must be hurting so badly, and it was all because of her. Why had she been so stupid? Why hadn't she been able to stand up to Sherry? Until earlier that night, Daphne had always been able to stand her ground to anyone at all. But Sherry had succeeded in making her feel small and weak.

But why? Was she afraid? Was she intimidated by Mr. Crane's girlfriend? She wished that she had someone to talk to. She couldn't talk to Frasier, he disliked Sherry just as much as she did, and speaking to Mr. Crane about it was out of the question. She needed someone to talk to who would understand her problems with Sherry. Even if she could talk to Frasier, she knew that she wouldn't be able to take his so-called advice of trying to talk things out with the woman. Sherry was insufferable, completely insufferable. That left only one person.

Niles was like his brother in almost every possible way. But she had a feeling that he would see how much Sherry had hurt her; and perhaps he would show sympathy and forgive her for interrupting his evening.

But what if he didn't?

She couldn't think about that now. No matter what, there was no way that she was going back to Frasier's tonight. No way at all.


	3. Chapter 3

He'd barely recovered from fainting at the unexpected sight of her at his doorstep, and the gentle way she was nursing him back to health, when he was dealt another blow. It was bad enough that he found it almost impossible to resist her, but the stifling heat and the way she was using his fan to cool herself by moving her shirt hem up and down as she stood in front of it was bringing his mind to dangerous levels. And suddenly she was sitting beside him.

"What are you… doing here? Not that I… mind of course." He stammered.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane. I'm sorry I barged in but I didn't have anywhere else to go! I was just so upset!"

"Well, I can certainly understand that Daphne, I-" He shivered when he realized that she was now sitting beside him, her hand cradling the back of his head with the gentlest of touches. It was, in essence the touch of an angel.

"Are you all right?" her quiet, sweet voice asked, as she gently adjusted the ice pack against his throbbing head. "I'm so sorry for startling you, Dr. Crane."

He winced and forced himself to sit up; hoping that the aspirin he'd taken would work quickly.

"I'm fine. Thank you… Daphne. What happened? At Frasier's I mean." And then he paused. "Let me guess... Was it Dad's girlfriend?"

"Sherry just makes me so mad!"

He sighed deeply, hating that woman even more. "What did she do this time?"

"She's been giving my number to strange men so that they'll call and ask me out!"

Niles was appalled. "What? How _dare_ she! Why would she do such a thing?"

"Because she says I'm too _rigid!_ "

"Nonsense!"

"And that I'm too _picky_!"

"Poppycock!"

"And that I'd be much happier if I just went out and had sex with someone!"

He fell silent, having no idea how to respond. But his heart knew. Oh, how it knew. The things he wanted to say to her, the things he wanted to do to her, _with her_. It was almost too much, and he wouldn't dare reveal the thoughts that were going through his mind. And so he simply said the first thing that came to mind:

"Well, just to play Devil's advocate-"

When he saw her mouth fall open in disbelief, he knew that he'd said he wrong thing; the _completely_ wrong thing.

 _Damn…_

"Don't tell me that you agree with her!" Daphne yelled.

"Um, no… it's much too hot for hell to have frozen over."

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "What?"

Her shout startled him, but he fully deserved it. He'd made yet another wrong move. What in the hell was wrong with him?

"I-um…"

She rose to her feet and grabbed her bag. "Bloody hell, I can't believe this! I-I thought you were me _friend_ , Dr. Crane. But now I see that you're no better than Sherry! I'm sorry that I bothered you!"

When she started toward the door, he could see that her eyes were now bright with soon-to-be-shed tears. Tears that would surely start to fall any second. But even that was an inaccurate estimate. For her tears were already making their way down her cheeks.

Oh dear God, he'd made her cry…

"Daphne, please...wait…"

"No… I have to go. I'll just… get a hotel room or something! There must be somewhere that I can go that doesn't cost a fortune…"

"Daphne, please… don't go!" He begged. He couldn't let her leave. He had no idea what he'd do if she left him this way. But the look she gave him was of pure anger and hurt. There was no other word for it.

"I'm sorry Dr. Crane. I really thought you were different. Goodbye."

Helplessly he moved toward her until the door slammed in his face, rattling the priceless photos and antique pieces in his living room. But had any of them teetered and crashed to the floor, he wouldn't have noticed. For his heart was already shattered beyond words.


	4. Chapter 4

"Daphne!"

The sound of her name and of his voice is what made her whirl around, fully aware of how quickly her heart was beating. How he'd managed to reach the lobby at almost the same time as she was a mystery, but it didn't matter anyway. Her face, she knew, was streaked with tears, but she no longer cared. She didn't want to see Niles. Not now and not ever. She wished that he would just go back to his apartment where he could enjoy the evening in peace without any disruptions.

He reached for her and she pulled away. "Dr. Crane, just leave me alone!" she yelled. But he stared at her, his chest moving up and down as he desperately tried to catch his breath, just as she was doing.

"No, Daphne. Not until you allow me to apologize."

"There's nothing to say! Don't you understand that?"

"You're crying, Daphne. In my opinion that means that there's plenty to say. Look, you don't have to respond, but please, hear me out. The fault was mine. I never… I never meant to hurt you. When I said those things, about you and about Sherry, I meant…"

"I _know_ what you meant, Dr. Crane, and it doesn't matter anyway!" The tears were choking her voice making it almost impossible to speak. But to her dismay, he was relentless, remaining where he was, watching her with that calm, but worried expression And his voice, when he finally replied, was calm, almost soothing.

"Of course it matters, Daphne. It matters a great deal."

His attempt at kindness was killing her.

"I-I shouldn't have come here. I-I should just… face me problems on me own! Isn't that what you're always telling your patients? To try and work things out for themselves and take responsibility?"

He nodded. "Well, yes. On occasion. But Daphne…"

Angrily she brushed away tears, wanting so badly to leave. "What?" She spat the word like venom. But she no longer cared. He couldn't possibly have hurt her any more than he already had.

"You're not like my patients. You're…" he swallowed hard and ran his hand through his blonde hair.

Oh why, at that moment, with his white linen shirt unbuttoned almost halfway, did he suddenly look so… sexy? Her eyes moved to his chest and then down the length of his lean body before she quickly looked away. It wasn't right to think of him in such a way; the way she'd often thought of men whom she was attracted to... With longing and desire.

It wasn't right at all.

Panic filled her and she broke free of his grasp, suddenly aware that he'd been holding her hand.

"Daphne-."

"I-I need to leave. I-I shouldn't have come here.. I-I had no right!"

"You had every right. It's your home too."

She froze at his words, unable to believe what he'd said. And his stunned expression told her that the words were unintended, if in fact, they were even true. She had, essentially said the exact words to him on numerous occasions, but the circumstances were entirely different. She was speaking of his brother's home. And since his father lived there as well, it was only natural to let Niles know that it was his home too.

Her heart was expanding in her chest. She wanted to stay, God how she wanted to stay. But her conscious refused. "No… I'll just go back. I can handle Sherry on me own! I shouldn't have run away."

He sighed, a deep, troubled sigh. "Daphne, I'm truly sorry for hurting you and for the things that I said."

His apology softened her but it wasn't enough. "I know!" She snapped. "You already apologized!"

"Yes, I did, but when I opened the door and saw you standing there, I-."

Her mouth curved into a smile and amazingly the hurt suddenly began to melt away.

"I can imagine that it was quite a shock."

He nodded, giving her a smile of his own. "Well, yes… I guess that would explain why I fainted. Thank you, by the way, for taking care of me."

She reached for his hand. "Of course."

"Well…"

"Dr. Crane, I'm sorry for intruding." She said, her calmness gone once more and desperation taking its place. "But I didn't have anywhere else to go! Now don't worry about me, Dr. Crane. I-I have some money. I'm sure I'll be able to get a hotel room, or somethi-."

"No."

His sharp word startled her. "What?"

"You drove all the way over here because you needed a place to say and were seeking out someone you thought you could trust. You have no idea how honored I am that you chose me and I'm deeply sorry for breaking that trust. I've been a terrible host and I beg you to let me make amends. I can't bear to think of you spending the night alone in some shoddy hotel, much less a five-star hotel. You'd still be alone and it's wrong. So please, Daphne. Spend the night with me."


	5. Chapter 5

Her heart racing, she froze at his request. She knew what he meant by the invitation of course and the context of it. He was merely offering her a place to stay for the night. It was yet another example of the constant kindness that he'd shown her since the day they had first met, over a basket of laundry in his brother's living room. And now she could see the pleading and compassion in his eyes. Even though she'd most likely interrupted his evening, he wanted her to stay. He cared about her; really and truly cared. And she cared about him as well, more than she wanted to admit.

He was, by all accounts, her best friend; the best friend she'd ever had. He was always there for her, offering her a word of kindness along with a smile or a hug. As had happened in the time that she'd known him, she felt the familiar tinge of regret. It was yet a painful chiding from her self-consciousness, asking her why she'd never thanked him, or even told him how much she cherished her friendship. And how could she possibly think of him as her best friend when she couldn't even bring herself to tell him. Surely he would be touched by her words. Had he told her that she was his best friend, she would be touched beyond measure.

She wondered for a moment what he would do if and when she decided to tell him. Would he be angry at her for keeping her feelings hidden? Or would he be deeply touched and throw his arms around her, hugging her tightly? A hug that led to a kiss. Just one. Or maybe two. Her heart warmed and she smiled. But the thought deepened and suddenly her mind was reeling with images and thoughts that she simply shouldn't be having. It wasn't right. And yet they came in full force, giving her a feeling unlike any she'd ever known. But forcefully she shoved the thought away. It was wrong, oh so wrong. And this was wrong, wanting to spend the night with him so badly, even though she trusted Niles completely.

Spending the night with a man (any man) always led to lovemaking (and was often the point), or to put it more bluntly, _sex_. The few men that Daphne had spent the night with in her lifetime were hardly worth _making love_ with. It was just something that she did. The nights she'd spent with men weren't one-night-stands by any means, but there was hardly any passion involved in their union.

She wasn't at all like Roz. She loved her friend, but Daphne couldn't understand how Roz could have so many nights with so many different men. While Daphne was certainly not a virgin, sleeping around just seemed…. Dirty, and to be honest, a little dangerous. The one consolation was that Roz was, for lack of a better word, very experienced and took precautions. Daphne's experiences with men had been brief but at the time that she'd made the decision to spend the night with them, it was made with the promise of a long and lasting relationship. However, none of those men meant anything to her now.

Her eyes met Niles' and her heart pounded in her chest causing her to panic. Could it be possible that he'd read her thoughts? She pushed the insanely ridiculous thought away and stared at him.

"Please?" he asked once more, the compassion returning to his eyes.

She stared at his lips, wondering what it would be like to kiss him, to lightly press her lips against his, only for a moment. The urge to touch his lips, even briefly, was so great that her insides began to tingle with want for him.

And then the psychic flashes began…

 _They were kissing… they were in his bedroom… their bodies were entangled in the soft sheets, their clothes strewn on the floor. Their passion was on fire and-._

"Daphne?"

She jumped, gasping loudly as she whirled around, her heart beating even faster now.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-."

"What?"

"I-."

She averted her eyes. She couldn't look at him any longer. To look into his beautiful eyes of blue would be-

"Are you mad at me?"

The question stunned her almost as much as the invitation to spend the night had. "M-mad at you?"

"Yes."

"N-no, I-."

"Then what's wrong?"

She swallowed hard. "Nothing. I-."

"You never answered my question."

"Oh…right... I didn't, did I?"

"So will you?"

She stared at him, trying desperately not to let her emotions get the best of her. "Will I…"

"Spend the night with me?"

There was only a moment's pause before she answered him, more truthfully than she'd ever answered anyone before.

"Yes."


	6. Chapter 6

For several moments they stared at one another, neither of them knowing what to say. And Daphne was grateful that Niles spoke first.

"Daphne, I'm so sorry. I never-."

She swallowed hard, trying desperately to keep her tears at bay. To cry in front of him _again_ … well, it would only make him feel worse. It wasn't his fault; not really.

He wouldn't have even been in this predicament if it hadn't been for her cowardly actions.

Why couldn't she have just stood up to Sheri, the way she'd stood up to the Crane men time and time again? The thought, she knew, would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"Daphne, I beg of you, please forgive me." Niles was saying. "I'll do anything. If you don't want to stay here, I'll completely understand. I-I'll pay for you to stay in a five star hotel or anywhere you want. I know I said before that I didn't like the idea of you being alone, but-."

Her fingers went to his lips to silence him. "Hush…" But she wasn't prepared for her own reaction. His lips were as soft and smooth as silk, which made her shiver. And in response, she was rendered speechless. She stared at his mouth and once again a flash went through her….

 _They were kissing; deeply, passionately. His hand was on the back of her neck, his breath warm and-_

She willed the ridiculous daydream (or was it a vision?) away, finding in that she could no longer meet his gaze. What was wrong with her? There was no possible way that he could ever imagine what she'd been thinking about and even she couldn't believe that she was thinking such things _again_. Dr. Crane was her friend. He always would be her friend, but nothing more.

"Daphne…"

Slowly she turned her gaze to meet his, her heart fluttering at the sight of the concern in his sea-blue eyes. Once again she pressed her fingers against his lips, secretly wanting to feel them against her skin once more.

"Hush. Don't say anything." she whispered. "Let's just go back to your apartment, all right?"

Without thinking she laced her fingers through his and led him to the elevator. They rode up in silence, but she made no effort to let go of his hand. It was soft as silk and just the touch of it made her feel a comfortable warmth inside of her heart. Imagining him as nothing more than a friend, however, took a great deal of effort on her part and she averted her eyes, hoping that by not looking at him, she wouldn't think about…

The doors opened and they stepped into the hallway, their fingers still entwined. It was only when they entered his apartment that she let go…reluctantly.

"Daphne, can I get you anything? Anything at all?"

Instead of the bold, strong male voice that she was used to, this one was shy and timid, as though he was afraid that she'd run out on him again if he said or did the wrong thing. Suddenly she was ashamed of her behavior. The outburst and the way she'd run out on him…Those were things that a child would do, not a grown woman.

"Some champagne if it's not too much trouble." She replied.

He smiled. "Not at all. Would you like anything else? Are you hungry?"

"No, I-." She paused, remembering, earlier when she'd gotten into the fight with Sherry over Mr. Crane's breakfast. It had taken so much out of her; the shouting, the accusations, the horrible thought that Sherry would give her out Daphne's number to strange men… she couldn't take it anymore.

But now she realized that in her rush to leave Dr. Crane's house and get as far away from Sheri as possible, that she'd not only skipped lunch entirely but dinner as well.

Truthfully she was starving; famished. There was no denying it. But after she'd arrived on Niles' doorstep unannounced, stupidly expecting him to take her in for the night, it seemed wrong to take advantage of him in such a manner. However, now he was practically begging her to allow him to make her feel like a pampered guest. And to deny him that privilege would hurt him; something she didn't want to do. So she decided to speak subtly.

"A-actually yes, I am hungry. Very hungry in fact, but Dr. Crane you don't have to-."

He was already moving past her end route to the kitchen. She rose from the sofa intending on joining him, but the moment that she reached the door, he smiled.

"Daphne, please… make yourself at home. I won't be long."

"But I want to help you." It's the least I can do."

"No."

At his directness, her eyebrows rose. And immediately his expression softened.

"I'm sorry. It's just that… You're my guest, Daphne. Please… make yourself at home and allow me to indulge you."

"Dr. Crane…"

"Please, Daphne. It's the very least I can do."

Impulsively she hugged him, breathing in his clean, masculine scent. "Thank you so much for letting me stay in your home for the night, Dr. Crane. You have no idea how much your friendship means to me. I won't be an imposition, I promise."

Keeping his hands on her forearms, he drew back and smiled. "You could never be an imposition, Daphne. You're welcome in my home any time."

She blinked back tears, her heart warmed by his words. Oh how she loved him, if only as a friend.


	7. Chapter 7

Taking him up on his offer to make herself at home, Daphne sat down on the fainting couch and ran her hand over the smooth velvety fabric. It was a beautiful piece of furniture, but she shouldn't have been surprised. Everything in Niles' home was beautiful; even more so than his brother's home (her home) at the Elliott Bay Towers. No wonder Niles was so proud when he'd finally acquired an apartment at The Montana. The way he'd gone on and on about it, The Montana seemed like a place that only pretentious snobs would appreciate. But in reality it wasn't like that at all.

It was a huge apartment; much bigger than his brother's. But looking at the facade of The Montana, with its' surprisingly ordinary brownstone-like architecture, it would be hard to imagine that the apartments within it (Niles' apartment in particular) would be so expensive.

She hardly had time to dwell on that fact when she saw him walk through the swinging door from the kitchen carrying a tray. She rose at once and went to help him. But she gasped in surprise when she realized that the tray contained a beautiful salad, two champagne glasses and a bowl of fruit. And in his other hand was a bottle of champagne.

"Here you are, Daphne. I hope it's to your liking."

"It's lovely Dr. Crane, but it's too much! I only wanted-."

"You're my guest. And you've been through a lot, mainly because of me. Is there anything else I can get you?"

"No, this is more than enough. Thank you so much, Dr. Crane."

"I'll just set this tray on the table and pour us some champagne."

She grinned, suddenly feeling a bit shy. "This salad looks big enough to share. Would you like to join me?"

His expression was one of disbelief and her heart went out to him. Since his divorce had become final, she suspected that he hadn't been on many dates. Or not any that he'd talked about anyway.

"No, that's all right. I'll just…"

A squawking noise came from the corner of the room and he jumped to attention. "Will you excuse me for a moment? Sounds like someone wants some attention."

She smiled at the white cockatoo that was sitting on a perch in the corner of the room and she wondered why she hadn't noticed the little bird before. "What a sweet little bird." She remarked, walking over to where Niles was tending to his pet. "I'm glad that you have someone to keep you company. Your brother always says that Eddie is a nuisance, the way he's always staring at him, but deep down I think your brother is happy to have him around the house."

She had no idea where those words had come from, but they made Niles smile just the same.

"Her name is Baby."

"Baby... It's a lovely name, Dr. Crane."

He grinned sheepishly and followed her back to the table, pulling out her chair to allow her to sit. He was always such a gentleman.

"Thank you, Daphne. I'll let you eat your dinner. Would you like some more champagne?"

"Yes, please." She held up her glass. "Thank you so much, Dr. Crane. Not just for the champagne. For everything."

His cheeks flushed and he smiled at a loss for words. "I-I'll be over here… waiting."

"Thank you, Dr. Crane."

The salad, not surprisingly, was delicious, but it did little to cool her heated body. The champagne helped, of course, but the heat had already gotten inside of her and wouldn't let go. The apartment was absolutely stifling and she almost wished that she'd suggested that they both go to a hotel and…

The thought made her gasp, loudly enough for him to turn his head.

"Daphne? Are you all right?"

She couldn't look at him, not now… not when she'd had yet another thought that she certainly shouldn't have had. Instead she looked around the room, admiring all of Niles' beautiful things. The exquisite furniture, the warm, dark hardwood floors. It was truly the most beautiful apartment that she'd ever seen, and she found that she was a bit jealous. Frasier's home (her home) was lovely of course, but it was nothing compared to Niles' home.

When she was finished with her meal, she rose from her chair to carry the dishes into the kitchen. But he was beside her in an instant, holding out his hand. "I'll take that, Daphne."

The warmth in his eyes made her heart beat faster. "Dr. Crane, I don't expect you to wait on me hand and foot all night. I only came over because-."

He sat the dishes down on the table, watching her intently. "I'm sorry that Sherry treated you the way that she did. But I'm touched that you trusted me enough to come over. I'm so honored to have you in my home."

His words touched her heart and she almost cried. "Dr. Crane…"

"I mean that, Daphne. I really-."

His words sparked something inside of her and she hugged him fiercely, drawing back only for a second to kiss his lips.


	8. Chapter 8

The kiss was unintentional, yet oh so wonderful. His shocked expression must have mirrored her own, but she was certain that she was more surprised than he. They stared at one another, neither of them speaking for a long moment. And somehow she managed to find the courage and strength to say the words that she should have said long ago.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane."

"Daphne, you've already thanked me enough."

"I don't mean for tonight, although I am thankful for everything you've done for me. I just…" She stared at his lips for barely a second before kissing him once more. "Thank you for being my best friend."

Once again neither of them spoke. He was gazing at her and she at him with the same looks of disbelief. Nervously she ran her tongue over her dry lips. After what she'd said, after what she'd done, what more could she possibly say?

Slowly she rose from the able and picked up the tray of fruit. "Why don't we sit over here?" His gaze followed hers to the fainting couch and the coffee table. "It will be more comfortable."

For a moment he said nothing and it began to worry her. "Dr. Crane? Dr. Crane, are you all right?"

He blinked in surprise. "What? Oh… yes, I'm fine."

She reached for a piece of fruit and slid it into her mouth. The coolness of the sweet strawberry was heavenly and she leaned against the sofa cushion, closing her eyes.

"Oh… that tastes so good, Dr. Crane."

"I-."

"It's so hot, isn't it?"

"Um, yes… And you're welcome to use my… fan."

"Thank you, but I'm afraid it's not helping much in this heat. Perhaps a bigger fan?"

"I wish I had another one but there's only this one. I haven't… needed it very much. Who knew that Seattle would experience such a heatwave?"

She grinned. "I guess you're right. Seattle doesn't get many days like this, at least it hasn't since I've been living here."

The heat was beginning to drench her shirt with perspiration and she leaned her head back against the cushion of the fainting couch.

"It's so hot…" She said again, closing her eyes.

"I know…" he agreed. "It's stifling. I'm sorry about that. Unfortunately as luxurious as this place is, they neglected to put in air conditioning. It would have been perfect on a night like-."

Daphne rose from the sofa and stood by the fan, once again moving the hem of her white t-shirt up and down. It helped a bit, but she wanted so desperately to take the shirt off. To take off all of her clothes….

"Dear God it's hot in here."

His voice made her turn around to see him gulping down another glass of champagne. His third? Forth? She'd lost count; not that she'd started counting in the first place. But she made a mental note to keep an eye on him. The last thing he needed was to hurt himself a second time. Once was bad enough.

"I'm afraid we won't be getting much sleep tonight. There are two of us and only one fan."

"Take it. I insist."

"No, Dr. Crane. This is your home. I want you to have it."

"We could share it."

Her heart was beating rapidly against her chest. "What?"

"The fan."

"Oh…"

"It does… oscillate."

"What does?"

"The fan."

Her cheeks flushed. "Oh… Right. I… she began to feel dizzy, but managed to steady herself. But before she realized what was happening, he rushed to her side, his hands on her forearms. "Daphne, are you all right? What's wrong?"

She put her hand on her forehead, alarmed at how warm she felt. "I-I don't know. I think it's the heat."

He bowed his head as though ashamed. "Look Daphne. I'm sorry. If you want to go to a hotel, I don't blame you. Their rooms are air conditioned and-."

"No, not at all. I don't want to leave."

His mouth curved into a boyish grin. "Y-you don't?"

Her hand slipped into his, their fingers entwined. "No… I just meant… I was wondering if it would be all right if I took a cool bath."

He stared at her for a moment before springing into action. "Of course. That would be wonder-I'll run upstairs right now and run a bath for you."

"Oh, you don't have to go to all that trouble, Dr. Crane. I can take care of it. Unless… You don't want me to."

"No. I-I mean yes of course. Straight up the stairs on your left."

Her heart fluttered and she paused on the landing to smile at him. "This is… so sweet of you. Thank you so much."

She turned to continue walking up the stairs when she heard his voice once more. "Daphne?"

"Yes, Dr. Crane?"

"Use the Indian cotton. It'll be gentler on your skin."

His words warmed her heart. "You're always thinking of me. Thank you."

"Daphne, you don't have to keep thanking me."

Tears filled her eyes and she took his hand. "I haven't thanked you nearly enough."


	9. Chapter 9

At the third door on her left, she paused, her hand on the doorknob. Slowly she opened the door, revealing a bedroom so large that his brother's bedroom would have easily fit inside of it. Her eyes scanned the room, which was without question the most beautiful bedroom that she'd ever seen. It had gorgeous wood furnishings and the walls were painted in a soft shade of beige. Pictures were hung on the walls and the room was decorated so beautifully, the way only Dr. Crane would have decorated it. Perhaps it was strange calling his room beautiful, but there was simply no other word for it.

However the room was nothing compared to what she found when she opened the door. The bathroom was absolutely incredible, with its marble floors and brushed pewter fixtures. There was a large walk-in shower with a seat situated in the corner and in the other, as though it demanded front and center attention, was the most exquisite sunken tub that she'd ever seen.

The tub looked so inviting that she shut the door to the bathroom and turned the knob next to the faucet, letting the cool water pour into the tub. She stepped into the water, sighing at the way the water instantly soothed her skin. Surprisingly she found a basket of things to make her bath even more luxurious and helped herself to a few of them. She never dreamed that Dr. Crane's bathroom would contain bath salts and things that even his brother's bathroom didn't have. She soaked in the bubble filled tub for what seemed like hours, letting the water cool her heated body. When she was finished, she stepped out of the tub, careful not to spill water on the marble floor.

Once she'd dried off with the luxurious towel (Niles was right. The Indian Cotton felt heavenly against her skin), she pondered what to do with her clothes. She certainly couldn't put them back on again. And then she spotted his robe hanging on the door. It was a gorgeous silk robe in a pleasing shade of blue with mauve trim. It certainly suited a man like Dr. Crane. Her fingers trembled as she removed it from the hook and slipped it around her body. The moment that she cinched the belt around her waist, she felt her heart beat quicken. It was a strange feeling, as though he had wrapped her into a hug.

Heart racing even more, she made her way downstairs. The moment she reached the landing, he looked up and smiled at her. But his blue eyes held a look that she couldn't quite read. He was gazing at her, almost longingly and he looked almost… nervous.

"Thank you for letting me take a bath in your tub, Dr. Crane. I feel much better."

He smiled. "I'm glad. Would you like some champagne?"

"That would be lovely, thank you."

He popped the cork, jumping in surprise when the champagne spilled over the sides and she went to help him. "Oh dear… Here, let me get that. I guess it was a bit shaken up, wasn't it?"

He was staring at her again…. wearing that same look. "What?"

"I said…"

"Oh… Right… The bottle."

She regarded him carefully. Something was definitely different. "Are you all right, Dr. Crane?"

"I-I don't know… I…"

"Here, let me get something to clean that spilled champagne for you."

Before he could answer, she rushed into the kitchen, her heart pounding beneath her chest. She couldn't get over the way he'd been looking at her. And she wondered what it meant.


	10. Chapter 10

Within moments, she entered the living room holding a damp cloth in her hand. Niles was still standing by the fainting couch in the same position as he'd been in when she left him. The poor man. Clearly her presence in his home (unexpected at that) was making him uncomfortable. But the kindness he'd shown her since she arrived on his doorstep in allowing her to spend the night made her all the more grateful to him. But something wasn't right. She stood for a moment regarding him curiously.

"Dr. Crane, are you all right?"

His lips parted, as though he was going to say something, but he remained silent, his gaze on her. And when he spoke, it was all too brief…

"I-I…"

She went to him at once, wondering why she was suddenly so nervous. Her hand trembled but she tried to steady it with little success. Carefully took the champagne bottle from his hand and wiped it clean with the damp cloth. She sat it down on the coffee table, and then took his hand in hers. It was sticky sweet from the champagne he'd spilled and she had a sudden urge to bring his palm to her lips to taste the sweetness of his skin and-

She shivered, shoving the image from her mind. Bloody hell, what was wrong with her? She shouldn't be thinking such things, especially about Niles. Perhaps Sherry's harsh words about Daphne's lack of a male companion rang truer than Daphne was willing to admit.

It took some effort, but she finally managed to clear her mind. Fingers still trembling, she began wiping the champagne from his hand. She worked diligently, trying not to think about how soft his skin was or how cool it felt against her own heated skin. Instead she concentrated on the task, sliding the damp cloth down his fingers, but it was hard not to imagine how wonderful it would feel if he were to gently cup her face in his palm and –

The feel of her rapid heartbeat was what brought her out of her thoughts (the thoughts that were completely inappropriate) and back to the present. Taking a deep breath she continued to wipe his hand until it was free of the sticky liquid. And then she went to work on his other hand.

"Dear me, you spilled an awful lot of that champagne, didn't you?"

His worried expression amused her but she could tell that he was genuinely concerned. And in response she squeezed his hand, giving him a reassuring smile. He seemed at a loss when she stooped down and began to wipe off the champagne from the coffee table and the floor.

"You have such beautiful carpet." She remarked. "I'd hate to see it ruined."

He stared at her for a moment. "You don't have to do that, Daphne. But thank you." They were the first words he'd spoken in quite some time. And hearing his voice again (his oh so sweet voice) made her smile.

"You're welcome, Dr. Crane."

He glanced at the champagne bottle and then his eyes met hers. "I-I…"

She smiled at him once more. "I think there's still enough champagne left in this bottle for the two of us. May I pour you a glass, Dr. Crane?"

"Um… Yes, thank you Daphne."

His nervousness made her laugh. "You don't have to keep thanking me, Dr. Crane. In fact, I should be thanking you."

"But Daphne, you already-."

"I know, but my being here is a terrible imposition and I'm sorry."

"No, please don't say that. I'm honored to have you in my home."

Once again, she found herself blinking back tears and she reached out to touch his cheek. "You're so sweet. I think we should have a toast."

He smiled and held up his glass allowing her to pour the bubbly liquid into it. "What shall we drink to?"

"To us."

His mouth fell open and the glass in his hand wobbled, causing the champagne to sway back and forth, teetering dangerously close to the rim.

Suddenly she gasped, realizing what he must of thought about her toast. "Oh my… Dr. Crane, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply-."

He touched his champagne glass to hers and smiled. "Here's to us."


	11. Chapter 11

Her unexplained nervousness returned and she smiled shyly. "To us." There was only one way to cure such nervousness or at least curb it. She downed the champagne in one gulp, feeling the alcohol go to her head almost immediately. And then she asked him to pour her another glass. As was his style, he did so without question and with a glasses of champagne somehow led to three and then more. And suddenly his handsome face swam before her eyes, the room moving as though she was on a rocking boat.

"Daphne!"

It was only when she felt his hands on her forearms that she realized that she'd nearly stumbled. And he had saved her from falling. He'd rescued her, like the hero in one of her romance novels. And now she found herself looking at him in a different light, even though her state of mind wasn't at all intact. She took a few steps forward, but at that moment a wave of dizziness hit her. As before, he was beside her within seconds.

"Why don't you sit here?"

For a moment she was barely aware that he was speaking to her. That is, until he coaxed her to sit on the fainting couch. But the dizziness only increased and her hand went to her head.

"Oh…"

"Daphne, what's wrong? What is it?"

She closed her eyes, willing the room to stop swaying. And suddenly he was sitting beside her, his warm hand on her back. In the distance, she could hear Baby, his bird squawking, which made her head start to ache.

"Daphne, are you going to be all right?"

She leaned against him, praying for the spinning to stop. It was the reason that she hated drinking. The enjoyment was there and of course the flavor, but the afterward was absolutely horrible. She sighed Why must everything enjoyable come with a price? Without thinking, she leaned against his chest and closed her eyes, aware of the way his bare chest was touching her cheek. And her mind went places that it shouldn't have gone.

"I-I don't know... That champagne must have gotten to me. I-I just… I think I need to lie down. But first I should take me pills."

"What pills?"

She rose from the sofa and went to get her overnight bag. But when she unzipped it and looked inside, she gasped. Panic stricken, she rummaged though the bag, as her anxiety worsened. And then her heart began to race. "Oh no!"

"What is it, Daphne? What's wrong?"

"M-me pills! I-I-can't find them! I must have left them at your brother's!"

"What pills?"He asked again.

Her heart raced like mad. How could she have been so careless? "Me thyroid pills! If I don't take them, I'll faint dead away! Oh, this is terrible! Why did I let her get to me like that?"

"Who?"

She looked at him in disbelief. "Who do you think? Sherry! If it hadn't been for her… Bloody hell, what was I thinking, going off without me pills?"

"What can I do?"

Grateful for his concern, she smiled and took his hand. "I- need to go back and get them! C-can you take me back home? I promise we can come right back."

"No!"

His outburst startled her and she stared at him in disbelief. Was he really refusing to take her home? Surely he knew how badly she needed those pills!

"What? Dr. Crane, I-."

"No, I mean… You don't have to go back home. I'll take care of it."

She looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"

"What's the name of the medication?"

She thought for a moment. "Um, Thyroxine, I believe."

He was scribbling something on a piece of paper. "All right. How often do you take it?"

"Um, I take two once a day. But Dr. Crane-."

"Just stay here, all right? I'll be right back."

"Dr. Crane-."

"Can I get you anything before I go?"

"No, I'm fine, but-."

"I'll be right back. I promise."

Before she could protest further, he grabbed his keys and was out the door, closing it behind him.

Alone in his lovely apartment, she looked around, willing the dizziness to stop. Why, oh why hadn't she taken those damn pills earlier? She knew what effect they had on her, but the one time she'd chosen to wait…

She had no idea where Dr. Crane was headed, or why, but the only thing she could do was to sit here and wait. Closing her eyes made the dizziness seem less so and she lay on the fainting couch, resting her head against the pillow. It felt so good to relax like this. And it didn't take her long before she drifted off into slumber.


	12. Chapter 12

He was visibly shaken when he walked out of the pharmacy and he was glad that there was no one around to see him. The tinkling bell rattled his nerves as it rang overhead, announcing his exit. He half expected the small pharmacist to holler a cheerful (albeit forced) "Come again!" before the door closed behind him. But even if it was insincere, Niles knew that the moment would never happen.

When he'd entered the pharmacy, he was only thinking about Daphne and about the fact that she needed her thyroid medication. He was a doctor for God's sake! It should have been so easy to simply walk in, hand the man the white paper on which Niles had written the prescription needed to obtain the Thyroxine that Daphne needed.

It was, by all accounts, highly unethical. He wasn't her doctor, and he never would be her doctor. But he was her friend and as her friend (and as someone who loved her, even though he was the only one who knew), he would do anything for her; anything at all. He was certain that under similar circumstances, Frasier would have done the same.

Niles hadn't counted on the reaction he would receive from the pharmacist, who appeared to be relatively new to the United States; perhaps from somewhere in the Orient. He'd long admired people of that culture, having visited several areas within in on his many trips with Maris. And he'd hoped to perhaps even strike up a friendly conversation with the man while the prescription was being filled.

Instead the man (identified by his name tag as _Huang_ ) eyed him suspiciously and Niles knew that the man had been watching him from the moment he opened the door. As he handed Huang the prescription, the pharmacist remarked that Niles didn't look like a doctor. It was of no use to explain that he was a psychiatrist and clearly he was not on duty at that hour of night or he would have been dressed in his classic suit and tie. And he most certainly was a doctor, complete with a medical degree.

But Huang would have none of it, saying that it was highly suspicious that a psychiatrist would have need for a prescription for Thyroxine for a patient. Psychiatrists treated mental cases, not people with thyroid problems. Niles was mere seconds from storming out, but there was nothing he could do. Daphne needed her medication and by God he was not leaving until he had it.

The reason Niles was in the pharmacy at that hour of the night was none of Huang's damn business, but Niles was too hot and tried to argue. Instead he made a mental note to contact the manager of the pharmacy as soon as possible. However, when Huang insisted that Niles was being untruthful, he knew that he only had one way to prove his worth.

He reached into his pocket and removed his wallet, revealing every type of identification he could find, including his psychiatrist's license. After what seemed like forever, Huang finally nodded and told Niles to wait. As though Niles hadn't been waiting long enough. But he wasn't about to argue with the man. Relief filled him as the man proceeded to fill the prescription.

Niles was no fool. He knew that Huang did the job with the utmost resistance, but he thanked Huang profusely just the same.  
When the prescription was filled, Huang handed Niles a small white bag, which Niles clutched tightly in his hand while handing over his credit card. But before Huang would even begin to ring up the sale, he grabbed a small legal pad and began writing furiously. Most likely he was taking notes on Niles, writing down everything he could possibly think of to write, including private information that he certainly didn't need to know.

Niles should have protested, for who knows what an establishment like the poorly run all night pharmacy would and could do with such information, but Daphne was more important. The sooner Niles returned home to her the better. He'd deal with the consequences of the pharmacy visit later.

He stepped into the balmy night air, cursing under his breath. Damn, it was even hotter outside than it had been before. He could only imagine how sweltering it must be in his apartment. Daphne would be-

He froze as a wave of panic washed over him. _Daphne_ …

Dear God! She'd told him that without her Thyroxine, she was liable to faint. His heart raced and a shot of adrenaline kicked in, sending him sprinting to his car.

 _I'm coming Daphne, Just hang on…_


	13. Chapter 13

It took much longer than he intended to unlock the car door and slip inside. Suddenly he wished that he'd gone on foot. He could be home by now if he'd run fast enough. Who cared if he ran like a girl? Still, it was dark and who knew what kinds of unpleasant people were lurking around the neighborhood; even a respectable neighborhood that was home to The Montana.

His hand trembling, he started the engine and peeled out of the parking lot. Luckily it was a short drive to his home and he was relieved when he finally pulled his car into his coveted parking space. But his relief was short lived when he glanced at his watch. It was horrifyingly late; much later than he realized and he entered the elevator, cursing loudly. A simple trip to the all night pharmacy, which should have taken only a few minutes at most, had turned into nearly two hours.

He checked his phone to see if Daphne had called and was relieved (and strangely a bit disappointed) that she hadn't. However, now he was worried about her. She was at his home alone and although he trusted her completely, he needed to get to her as quickly as possible. His heart pounded wildly beneath his chest. He simply had to get to her. He had no more time to lose.

As soon as the elevator doors opened on his floor, he sprinted into the hallway. When he reached his apartment, his hand was trembling so badly that he could barely get his key into the lock. But he made certain to keep a firm grip on the small white bag containing Daphne's prescription. After the hell he'd gone through to obtain it, he was determined to guard it with his life.

With a gentle thrust he turned the knob and thrust the door open. At first glance, the living room seemed empty and aside from the soft humming of the oscillating fan, it was eerily quiet. The bag still in his hand, he quickly scanned the living room for any sign of his angel.

"Daphne?"

When there was no response, he walked father into the living room and shut the door. "Daphne, it's Niles… Um… Dr. Crane. I-I'm sorry that it took so long. I had a little trouble with-." The bag fell from his hand with a thud and he froze just inches from the fainting couch.

 _Oh God..._

"Daphne!" His heart raced and he could barely breathe. For she was lying on his fainting couch, completely unconscious.

Oh no... He was too late. Her thyroid condition had gotten the better of her. No... This wasn't happening. It couldn't be.

In a panic, he rushed to her side and dropped to one knee. He took her hand in his bringing it to his lips. It was hard not to ignore the irony that his stance resembled a proposal… Oh how he wished…

No, it was wrong to think such nonsense. What in the hell was wrong with him? He studied her perfect face, which was sweet and angelic. Her perfect lips, beautiful creamy complexion. Oh heavens, she was breathtaking. He averted his eyes, if only in the slightest. Thinking about her beauty at a time like this wasn't right at all.  
Keeping her hand in his, he squeezed it gently.

"Daphne, it's Niles... I-." He reached for her shoulder and touched it lightly, but to his horror, she didn't respond.

Panic set in immediately and he ignored the fact that her beautiful face was suddenly blurred by the tears in his eyes. "D-Daphne, please… Wake up. I-I'm sorry…" The tears slid down his cheeks as he stroked her hair. "Oh God, you have to be all right! I-I'm sorry that it's so hot in here! I…"

He rose to his feet, and then scrambled toward the kitchen in the hopes of finding something, anything to revive her. She had to be okay, because if she wasn't, he'd never forgive himself. And frankly he didn't know if he could live without her.

In less than a minute, he rushed back into the living room, a cool damp cloth in his hand. As he knelt beside the fainting couch once more, He found it impossible to keep from stroking her face with his fingertips, nor could he stop staring at her. And suddenly, almost daringly, he leaned to brush his lips against hers…


	14. Chapter 14

_His slender fingers were on her face, moving softly in a feather-light motion. But it was the touch of his sweet lips on hers… his oh-so-soft lips that made her heart beat faster.  
"I'm here, Daphne… Everything's going to be all right. You're safe now."_

Slowly her eyes fluttered open and his handsome face came into view. However, instead of a smile he wore a look of confusion, almost guilt. And his hand was over his mouth. Suddenly she was confused. Was she still dreaming? Where was she? Suddenly she bolted upright and looked around disoriented. What had happened?

The effects of her sudden movement were felt immediately, as the room began to sway and the dizziness returned in full force. She tried to move a little more, but the effort nearly caused her to tumble. Niles hand was on her arm, preventing her from falling. And then he smiled. She put her hand on her head and stared at him.

"Dr. Crane?"

He smiled, but it was a different kind of smile. And was it her imagination or were those tears in his eyes? Oh God, had she done or said something to upset him? Had they gotten into a fight? What was she doing here anyway? If only she could remember.

"Daphne, thank God…"

"Dr. Crane, what's going on? I-." But before she could finish her question, she was in his arms, strangely comforted by the unexpected hug. "Dr. Crane?"

He held her tighter. "Daphne, Oh thank God… I thought…"

She hated to draw out of his arms, where she felt so safe, but had to know what was going on. And if she'd upset or angered him in any way, she need to apologize, no matter what the cost. "Dr. Crane, what happened? What am I doing here?"

"I-I was so worried…" He replied slowly, as though speaking to himself. "When I came back and saw you lying here unconscious, I thought…"

She gasped. "Unconscious? But I-."

"You must have fainted."

"Fainted? But that's impossible! I-." And then it all came back to her. The fight with Sherry, the fact that she'd forgotten her pills, the heat. She vaguely remembered Niles asking her about the kind of pills she took and then excusing himself, saying he'd be back shortly. Oh God, she'd ruined everything.

"You told me that it might happen if you didn't take your medication, but I never dreamed…"

She moved slightly, taking note that his hand was still on her shoulder. "It… that's never happened before, but the doctor said… Oh how could I have been so stupid?"

"Daphne you're not-."

"What kind of idiotic person leaves the house with the intention of not coming back until the next day and forgets their pills?"

"You were upset, and rightfully so."

"But that's no excuse, Dr. Crane! Sherry may be a horrible person but that doesn't mean-."

He turned and reached for something, and then handed her a small white bag.

"What's this?"

"Your pills."

Her eyes narrowed as she tore open the bag and reached inside. "What?"

"When you said you'd forgotten them, I…"

She could hear him speaking but she had no idea what he was saying. She simply couldn't stop staring at the small brown bottle in her hand. The one with the white label that read _Thyroxine_ , and the familiar instructions on when to take them. But it was the name of the doctor, printed next to her own name that made her heart beat faster.

"Dr. Niles Crane…"

"That's me."

Her eyes met his and she saw that he was chuckling softly. "What?"

"You said… _Dr. Niles Crane_... And I said…"

"Y-you mean…"

"Well, that is my name, although you're welcome… encouraged in fact, to call me _Niles_."

"I-I…"

"I'm sorry Daphne. My attempt at humor was rather poor wasn't it? Are you all right?"

She studied his face. "Wh-where did you get this? A-and how?"

"At the all-night pharmacy across the street." He replied.

"But-but you're not my doctor, and yet your name…"

His gaze went to the floor. "I know… and it was wrong. Believe me, Daphne under any other circumstances I would have never gone against my ethics, but-."

As she stared at him, letting what he'd told her sink in, she realized what a kind and selfless act it really and truly was. His ethics meant the world to him, and to think that he'd gone against them in such a big way. She could only imagine what he must have gone through to make sure that she had her medication. And then to her horror, she burst into tears.


	15. Chapter 15

"Oh dear God… I've made you cry!"

She shook her head adamantly. He'd done nothing of the sort. But she was unable to stop the tears that were streaming down her cheeks. "No..."

The word came out in a whisper.

But Niles was not convinced and his look of concern became even more genuine. "Daphne… Oh heavens… I'm so sorry! I know that what I did was terrible and I can only imagine what you must think of me. That shoddy excuse for a pharmacist will most likely consult the board of psychiatrists! I'm sure that the news of what I've done will soon be all over Seattle, therefore jeopardizing my career. But Daphne, I never-."

She continued to cry, her hands over her face. And the craziest thing is that she had absolutely no idea why she was crying. No idea at all. Bloody hell, what was wrong with her, crying like a complete lunatic?

To her surprise, he moved closer and pulled her into his arms, providing the same comfort as before.

"Shh… It's okay. I'm so sorry Daphne. I know I shouldn't have violated my ethics as I did, but I just… I hated to think of you without your medication." He sighed deeply, the sound of a man who was filled with deep regret. And he was not at all to blame. But she couldn't bring herself to speak, let alone reassure him that she was grateful for what he had done. His gentle hand was moving up and down her back, his fingers massaging her neck. "I-I suppose I should have just gone back to Frasier's or else taken you back there. But… I-I know how upset you were. And I can only imagine what would have happened had Sherry been there…"

Still sobbing, she pressed her face into his shoulder, having no idea why she was unable to stop crying. But in all honesty, unleashing the frustration, anger and guilt felt incredibly good. And being comforted by a sweet and handsome man felt even better.

He held her for a long time, rubbing her back and even running his fingers through her hair. There was no denying how wonderful it felt. It had been a long time since a man ( _any_ man) had shown such concern for her. And it resembled the most wonderful dream imaginable.

"I'm so sorry…" He whispered the words again and again as though his remorse had grown. But she couldn't let him continue to feel guilty or take the blame for her ridiculous emotional breakdown. Reluctantly she pulled out of his arms and brushed the tears from her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Dr. Crane. I don't know what's wrong with me tonight! I-."

"No Daphne. I'm the one who-."

Her trembling fingers covered his lips. "No… Don't say it. Don't even think it, Dr. Crane. I don't know why I'm crying like this. I just-."

He cursed under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear. Now she'd made him angry. Surprised, she looked up, for she'd never heard him say such words before. But it wasn't her place to object. She'd lost count of the number of times that she'd repeated the filth that came out of her brother's mouths. And it was usually followed by remorse.

"Look, Daphne…"

She winced and touched her forehead with her fingertips. "I'm sorry Dr. Crane. I-I think I'm just tired from all of that champagne. And me head aches fiercely. Do you have any aspirin?"

"Um, I do… but perhaps you should wait a little while before you take it."

She turned to him in surprise. "Why?"

"Well, your medication…."

"Oh right, of course. What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you. You're perf-Um… I mean… there's nothing wrong with you. Why don't you take your medication and get some rest? I'll bring the fan upstairs for you. It will be easier to sleep when it's cooler."

Her eyes went to the balcony and then the landing. "Upstairs?"

"Yes. I know that they say that hot air rises, but perhaps if I open the window there will be a cross breeze, even with this heat. Although…"

Suddenly she realized what he was doing. This man, this wonderful man… her best friend, was offering her his room. The unspoken gesture touched her deeply. She had no

idea how she managed to keep her emotions at bay.

"No, Dr. Crane. I can't ask you do to that. You've done more than enough. I'll be fine down here on your fainting couch."

"No, absolutely not."

"But-."

"It's my fault, Daphne. And I am sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?"

She smiled and took his hand, squeezing gently, intending to tell him once again that he'd done more than enough. But what she said instead was…

"Well, I am a bit tired…"

"You can have my room. I'll take the fan up there so that you'll be more comfortable."

"Dr. Crane, I can't ask you to do that! Where will you sleep?"

"I'll take the guest room."

She looked toward the room that was situated near the front of the apartment. "But it's so dreadfully hot!"

He smiled knowingly. "I'll manage."

"This is wrong, Dr. Crane! I'll take the guest room. I don't mind at all! I insist!"

"No."

Her patience was wearing thin and she was dangerously close to losing her temper. Why was he so bloody stubborn? It was one of the things about him that drove her absolutely mad! In that regard, he was exactly like his older brother.

"Dr. Crane, this is your home and I'm just a bother!"

"Nonsense, Daphne. You're never a bother. And like I told you before, you're welcome in my home anytime; especially when something or someone upsets you."  
Overcome with love for him, even if it was only in friendship, she pulled him into her arms for a hug and quickly kissed his lips once again. He seemed even more surprised by this kiss than he'd been by the first. That made two of them. But as she drew back she felt her lips tingling from the touch.

"Dr. Crane... I… I just wanted to say…. Thank-"

He ran his tongue across his lips and the feeling it gave her as she stared at his mouth was unlike anything she'd ever felt before, accompanied by a heartbeat that was so rapid it was almost concerning. Oh God how could this be happening?

Clearly she'd consumed more champagne than she'd thought.

His fingers moved through his hair and he avoided her gaze. "Um… look… it's late. Why don't you get yourself settled in my room and I'll bring the fan up for you in a minute? I'll just take care of a few things down here before we go to bed."

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. Was he really suggesting…

"W-what?"

"What?" he repeated. And then he displayed a horrified expression. "Oh… Oh! Oh God, I didn't mean…."

She could feel her cheeks burning. What was wrong with her, thinking such things? "I-I know what you meant." She managed to say. "I-it's all right. Thank you Dr. Crane… for everything and for letting me stay in your room."

Before he could reply, she kissed his lips again. But this time it wasn't impulsive. It was intended.


	16. Chapter 16

She drew back, staring at Niles in disbelief at what she had done. What must he think of her, kissing him so impulsively as though they were romantically involved? The thought brought the strangest feeling imaginable, a mixture of hot and cold that reverberated through her body. Was it love? Surely not, but truthfully she didn't know, at least not consciously.

He was staring at her as well, not in disbelief but in genuine concern. It was the same concern that he'd shown her since she'd arrived on his doorstep hours before. No, that wasn't at all truthful. He'd shown her this kind of concern since she'd first laid eyes on him, the day that she stood in his brother's living room, folding laundry. Niles might not have remembered that day but she remembered it crystal clear; as though it had happened just yesterday instead of so many years ago. Who knew that her boss' brother would someday become her best friend?

But now…

"Y-you kissed me." He was saying, his voice wobbly.

For once she was at a complete loss for words. But she had to say something, anything. She couldn't simply let the moment pass without saying something.

"I-I'm sorry." She stammered. "A-And I'm sorry about... th-the other kisses too. I-I mean..."

No, that wasn't right. She wasn't sorry, not in that sense anyway. But at the moment _, I'm sorry_ was the only thing she could say. She looked at him again. He was still staring at her in the same disbelieving manner. And finally he spoke again.

"D-don't be sorry. It's all right."

She smiled. He always knew the right thing to say even if it was in the most awkward of situations. And although his words were simple, her heart fluttered, her eyes searching his handsome face. "I-I guess I've had a bit too much champagne."

"I-I'm sorry Daphne. I shouldn't have-."

Automatically her fingers went to his soft lips, forbidding him to say whatever he was going to say. It didn't matter. "Hush. You have nothing to be sorry for. You've been so sweet to me since I barged in unannounced and I'm so grateful. But truthfully I am a bit tired."

"Of course. Please, take my room. I insist."

"But-."

"No arguments, Daphne."

The slight sternness in his voice surprised her but then he smiled. "Please…"

Her smile returned and her fingers brushed against his cheek. "Thank you." The word was a whisper and she moved past him, making her way up the stairs.

* * *

Alone in his bedroom, refreshed from yet another luxurious bath, she wrapped herself in one of his Indian cotton towels. It was the softest thing she'd ever felt. And suddenly his sweet words came back to her;

 _"Use the Indian cotton; It will be gentler on your skin."  
_

What she had said earlier was true. He was always thinking about her. And it was a wonderful feeling.

Moments later, wearing her favorite nightshirt she climbed into his large bed, amazed at how soft the mattress was. It was worlds away from her small, rather uncomfortable bed at home. She would never fault Frasier for not giving her a more comfortable place to sleep, for she loved her job and she loved living under his roof. But this….

Despite the heat that was still present, she snuggled under the silky cotton sheets and pulled the down comforter over her body. Although the night air was still dreadfully hot, it was much cooler upstairs. She imagined Niles, sleeping downstairs in the guest room in that horrible heat.

The thought that he had given up the chance for cooler temperatures for her brought the hint of tears to her eyes. They may have had their differences, but he really was the sweetest man.

The plush pillows cradled her head in a way she could have never imagined. She felt like a princess. A silly thought perhaps, brought on by reading too many romance novels, but at that moment no thought had ever seemed more truthful.

And it was this thought that made her turn onto her side, falling into a deep sleep.  
She awoke only once, her eyes slowly opening as she looked around the darkened bedroom. But it only took a moment to remember where she was.

She was safe in the home of her friend; her best friend, the only person she truly trusted. The man who was there for her when no one else was.  
With a contented smile on her face and warmth in her heart, she snuggled deeper under the covers and drifted once more into a deep sleep.

* * *

She awoke much earlier than she intended and looked out the window. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, which at this time of year, the middle of summer, meant that it was right around four in the morning. Now she had a clear view of his bedroom. It was absolutely lovely, if that was the right word for it. The room was just right for a man of his discerning tastes. A man who-

Like a slap in the face, reality came rushing back and her heart began to race. It had been hours since she'd fled from Frasier's, hurt and angered by Sherry's actions. But now she realized what a coward she'd been. She'd always been able to stand her ground against anyone, always. But Sherry had succeeded in getting the best of her.

Well no more.

She took a deep breath. She couldn't stay hidden away at Niles home forever. Although quite honestly, she wouldn't mind doing so. Never before had she felt so safe, and it was all because of her best friend.

But she had to go. It was time to return home and face the consequences.


	17. Chapter 17

Quietly she got dressed and gathered her belongings, taking a moment to straighten Niles' bedroom back to its original state. She looked around, absorbing her surroundings; really absorbing them, for the first time as the room slowly brightened in the morning light. It certainly was a beautiful room, in a masculine sort of way. Everything was neat as a pin. Not that she expected any less. But the sight made her smile just the same.

Even though Niles was downstairs sleeping in the guest room, his presence in this, his bedroom, could be felt everywhere. And again she smiled.

She crept downstairs, moving as quietly as possible. She didn't want to wake him. She'd already caused enough trouble, showing up unannounced in the middle of the night. Niles was a morning person, but he must have been exhausted. He worked so hard and his divorce, although some time had passed, had taken a toll on him. She'd never comment on it of course, not even to his brother or father, but she could see it in his eyes and her heart went out to him.

But as she reached the front door she paused, taking a moment to move toward the guest room. Surprisingly he'd left the door ajar, affording her a small glimpse of him as he slept soundly. Smiling, she blew him a kiss.

"Sweet dreams, Dr. Crane." She whispered.

Careful to remain as quiet as a mouse, she moved toward the front door. A glance at the impressive grandfather clock that stood in the corner was a silent reminder that she really needed to get going. Frasier and Martin were most likely worried about her and it wasn't fair to keep them waiting. She had duties and obligations at home, and she had to remember that.

But suddenly she remembered why she'd come to Niles' in the first place. The thought of facing Sherry again was not something that she wanted to deal with, but there was no other choice. She'd simply have to endure whatever unwanted comments Sherry chose to inflict upon her.

She couldn't hide out at Niles' forever. Even if she wanted to. But the truth was... she wanted to.

But seconds away from leaving the apartment, she paused, feeling remorse. She looked around the vast living room. It simply wasn't right leaving this way. It felt so… abrupt. She considered waking Niles to tell him that she was leaving, but that was out of the question. And so there was only one alternative.

Quietly she dropped her bags to the floor and moved to the kitchen where she found a notepad sitting on the counter. Perfect.

 _Dear Dr. Crane._

 _I can't thank you enough for your hospitality last night. I know me visit was unexpected, but I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful friend. Thank you, thank you._

 _Love and kisses,_

 _Daphne._

Seconds after she'd written it, she realized what she'd done. She'd signed it _love and kisses..._ What was wrong with her? How could she sign a note in such a romantic way? It wasn't a bloody love letter! She knew that she should rewrite it, but there was simply no time. She had to get back home.

The clock struck, indicating that it was forty-five after. She'd best move quickly if she was going to get home in time to do her chores; and that included taking care of Mr. Crane.

But at the last minute, she gathered a few things from the cupboards and the refrigerator and made a quick breakfast, placing it on its own shelf in the huge Sub-Zero refrigerator. It wasn't much, but she hoped that he would take it as a small token of gratitude. On the bottom of the note she wrote;

 _P.S: Your breakfast is in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf. It's not much but I hope you enjoy it._

As she returned to the living room, she smiled at the sight of Niles' little bird that was fast asleep on her perch. Amazingly Baby was oblivious to the goings on around her. Or perhaps, like her owner, she was simply exhausted.

"Bye, Baby." She whispered. "Goodbye Niles." She added, blowing another kiss toward the guestroom.

And then she quietly slipped out of his apartment. Her overnight stay at Niles was just a memory. And she knew that she would hold that memory in her heart forever. For she feared that things at home would be far less pleasant.


	18. Chapter 18

She was a mess of emotions as she walked out to her car and climbed inside. It would have been so easy to simply go back into the Montana and take the elevator to his apartment. But in doing so, she'd have to ring his doorbell. How could she possibly explain why she'd gone? And more importantly, why she'd come back.

She had to go home. She had obligations, responsibilities… and a lot of explaining to do.

 _We Live for Love_ by Pat Benatar _, Crazy For You_ by Madonna and _Uptown Girl_ by Billy Joel floated out of the radio, each song introduced by her favorite DJ on the eighties station that she loved so much. But the music did little to deter her thoughts.

She was so confused about so many things. She had no idea what she was going to say to Frasier and Martin… and Sherry for that matter, if, in fact, the wretched woman was still at Frasier's. Given the way that Mr. Crane stood up for Sherry, when he really should have stood up for his physical therapist, Daphne was certain that Sherry would still be there. And once they came face to face, what would she possibly say? Apologizing to Sherry was out of the question.

Yes, she'd said things that she shouldn't have but it was only because of the things that Sherry had said to her. She couldn't help it if-

She swallowed hard as tears welled in her eyes. What was so bloody wrong with her that made her almost invisible to men? She hadn't been on a date in months and perhaps that was why she'd kissed Niles so many times in the course of one evening.

Oh God, how could she have done that; kissed him as though they were a couple in love? Did she think (stupidly) that he wouldn't notice? Well, he'd noticed, all right. He'd noticed in a big way. He'd never admit it, but she knew that he must have been extremely uncomfortable, being kissed so causally by a woman whose salary he helped to pay and who regarded him as her best friend (even if he didn't yet know it). Had the situation been reversed, Daphne would have most likely felt the same way. But it seemed that once she started kissing him, even briefly, she wanted to experience it again. She knew that eventually she'd have to explain her reasons for kissing him as well. It seemed an impossible task, for only her heart could explain the way kissing him made her feel.

She continued to drive, almost oblivious to the music that filled the car or the sights around her. And before she realized it, she was pulling into the Elliott Bay parking garage, with no recollection whatsoever of how she'd managed to get there safely.

Perhaps she had a guardian angel.

The thought gave way to thoughts of another angel. An angel who lived at the Montana and had shown her kindness unlike any she'd ever known, in her time of distress, without questioning it. There was, of course some friction in the beginning but the fact that he'd invited her into his home meant the world to her. He truly was her best friend. And she loved him more than he'd ever know.


	19. Chapter 19

It took some effort to try to calm her rapidly beating heart as she crossed the lobby and headed for the elevator which would whisk her up nineteen floors to her home. But when the doors parted, her heart rate seemed to skyrocket and she could hardly breathe. She couldn't remember a time when she'd been more nervous to come home to a place where she spent most of her time.

A glance at her watch indicated that it was still early. Not even an hour had passed since she'd left Niles' home. Perhaps it was a sign. If she entered the condo as quietly as possible, maybe she could avoid what she was sure to be a rush of questions regarding her disappearance from the night before. She could, in theory, enter the apartment and head straight for her bedroom without a sound and then casually walk into the living room uttering a cheerful "Good morning!", provided that she did so in a relaxed manner, doing her best to give no indication that anything was out of the ordinary. Frasier and Martin would be none the wiser.

She smiled at the thought. It was a perfect plan, to pretend as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Instantly all of the anxiety and apprehension that filled her began to melt away. Yes, this would work out perfectly, hopefully even better than she anticipated. It was a sign; a gift from God (as ridiculous as it sounded) and the next time that Niles paid his brother a visit, she would casually take Niles aside and thank him for the lovely evening; for taking her in for the night and for being her best friend.

Yes, things were definitely looking up.

Her heart was filled with a sudden, unexplained happiness and she even considered having a heart to heart talk with Sherry. Not to apologize of course (she had nothing to apologize for) but to come to an understanding. Sherry was, after all, Mr. Crane's girlfriend and she had just as much right to be in the condo as anyone. So it was best if she and Sherry were to put their differences aside and learned to get along. Dare she think that they might even one day become friends? It was bound to happen, even in the worst of circumstances and the thought of being friends with the woman who had said so many hurtful things was strange to say the least. But since she'd moved into Dr. Crane's home, her life had been turned upside down and truthfully she wasn't in a hurry to turn it right-side up anytime soon.

Starting at the beginning, making amends with Sherry... well, it wasn't going to be easy and in fact it would be one of the hardest things that she'd ever had to do. In fact, the mere thought of it made her shudder. But it had to happen sooner or later. Might as well face the music now.

With a renewed sense of optimism, Daphne inserted her key into the lock and gently turned the knob. She pushed the door open… and froze in her tracks.

For there, standing in the foyer, wearing their robes and angry faces, were Frasier and Martin.


	20. Chapter 20

"Dr. Crane…. Mr. Crane…"

"Oh so you _do_ remember us!" Martin snapped. "I was thinking that you'd forgotten, since you've been gone so long!"

"Dad-."

"Don't defend her, Fras, because you know damn well-."

"I'm sorry if I worried you." Daphne stammered, feeling more nervous than ever before; like a child faced with the wrath of her father. "I-I just…"

"Where in the hell have you been?" Frasier shouted his eyes wide with rage.

"I-I'm sorry…"

"You're _damn_ right you should be sorry!" Martin yelled. The tone of his voice made her flinch. "Do you have any idea how worried we were?"

At this point, her lower lip trembled and she was dangerously close to tears, but she willed them away with all of her might. "I-I…"

"How could you do this, Daphne?" Frasier continued. "Just storm out of here without bothering to say anything, making us worry?"

She could barely look Frasier in the eye.

"Well?" He prompted.

"L-look, I'm sorry." She stammered. "I-." God, she sounded like a broken record and she knew that it went without saying that the Crane men were tired of her excuses. But as always, they never failed to surprise her.

"You sure have a funny way of showing it!" Martin yelled. "Where in the hell were you, anyway?"

"I-."

"If you're not going to tell us why you left, you can at least give us the courtesy of telling us where you were!"

The lump in her throat made it difficult to swallow and it was even more difficult to look either man in the eye; a sign that she knew all too well would imply that she was lying.

"I-didn't you read my note?"

Frasier and Martin exchanged glances and then returned their gazes to her.

"No, we didn't!" Frasier yelled. "And do you want to know why, Daphne? BECAUSE THERE WAS NO NOTE!"

Again, she flinched at his booming voice; his words were so loud that she actually closed her eyes. He'd never laid a hand on her and she knew that he never would, but at that moment she felt as though she'd been struck in the face. But ironically, she no longer felt small and insecure, and the need to defend herself was great.

"What are you talking about?" she snapped. "Of course there was a note! I-I left it right over-." Her hand pointed to the dining room table, but then she froze, realizing, to her horror, that it was not Frasier and Martin to whom she had written a note explaining her sudden absence, but Niles.

 _Oh God…_

Frasier stood with his hands on his hips. "I must be blind, Daphne because neither Dad nor I saw-."

"Oh bloody hell!" She yelled, fully aware that her composure was about to shatter, despite her unwavering efforts to contain it. "Why are you treating me like a child?"

"Well, when you stop acting like one, then Frasier and I will start treating you like the adult that you claim to be!" Martin yelled.

She gasped in disbelief. Martin had never spoken to her in such a manner before and she had a good mind to gather the rest of her belongings and storm out of the condo, vowing never to return. They could keep their bloody job. But she couldn't do it. She literally had no place else to go, and she needed her job, desperately. Still, she knew that she had to defend herself.

"I don't have to stand here and take this!" She shouted. "Look I've already apologized twice so I don't understand-."

"But you won't tell us where you were or why you were gone all night, so-."

Her eyes moved from Martin to Frasier and when she blinked, hot tears began making their way down her cheeks. It was truly a sign of defeat, and she'd succumbed to their demands. But as far as where she'd been all night, she wasn't about to relent. She had to stand her ground, for her sake… and for Niles. However, they were staring at her, demanding an answer. And so she gave them one.

"All right, if you must know, I was staying at a friend's house!" It wasn't a lie and in fact was more truthful than anything she could have said. But as she suspected, Frasier and Martin weren't satisfied.

"So you ran away." Martin's statement was firm, yet accusing.

The accusation hurt, but there was no refusing the truth of it.

"Yes, but I'm here now."

She hadn't expected to feel resentment, but at that moment it felt stronger than she thought possible.

"Fine, don't tell us where you were!" Martin snapped. "I don't give a damn anyway! The point is that you're back and you're safe and… Well I guess that's all that matters."

Her anger toward the old man began to melt away and she took a step forward to hug him. But he remained where he was; his arms crossed in front of him and the steeled look in his eyes. This was not the time for sentiment.

"Thank you. And I am truly sorry for worrying you."

The moment she saw him relax, she carried out her original plan and stepped forward, engulfing the old man in a hug, kissing him on the cheek. "I know I should have called or written you a note, but-."

She paused, drawing back as she took a look around the living room. Something was different but she couldn't quite tell what it was. And then she knew. "Where is Sherry?"

Martin sighed. "Sherry's gone."

Relief should have melted over her, but instead she was concerned. She'd seen more of Sherry in the past several weeks than she'd seen of Frasier. "Oh, I see… well, when she gets back, I suppose-."

"She won't be back."

At Martin's harsh tone she looked up. "What do you mean?"

"We broke up. We're through."


	21. Chapter 21

Her heart clinched in her chest and she tried not to feel guilty. For it certainly wasn't her fault. Whatever happened between Martin and Sherry was… well, it wasn't her fault. It couldn't possibly-

But when his eyes met hers, she realized that there was no way to prevent the guilt from creeping into her chest, where it was bound and determined to overwhelm her. "I-I'm sorry." She managed to say, albeit in a hushed whisper. But as she suspected, Martin merely scoffed.

"Yeah? Well… so am I!"

The words stung and as he moved past her to return to his beloved chair, she bit back a sob. Almost instantly she felt a hand on her back and she turned to find Frasier smiling sympathetically. "I-I'm sorry." She whispered once more.

Amazingly he smiled. "It's all right. I'm sorry for getting so angry. We were just worried about you, Daphne. I certainly was, and Dad was too. And as for Sherry-."

"I-."

"Don't apologize. I know that Dad's a little upset, but to be honest-."

Daphne laughed softly and took Frasier's hand. "I know." She turned to find Martin in his chair; Eddie in his lap. Martin's gaze was fixated on the television. And then she returned her attention to Frasier. "You must be hungry. I'll get your breakfast started right away."

"You don't have to do that."

For the first time since she'd faced the wrath of Martin and Frasier, she smiled. "I want to."

When she returned from the kitchen, she felt a sudden sense of freedom. She was alone, free to run the kitchen the way it was meant to be run. There was no one to tell her what kinds of horrible things to make Mr. Crane for breakfast or to tell her that she needed to put on some weight. The idea that she was, in a sense, completely and utterly alone was, by all accounts, wonderful.

They ate breakfast in silence, Daphne with her omelet, Frasier with his dry toast and juice, and Martin with his oat bran. Every once in a while she would look up and see Frasier smiling politely at her before returning his attention to his breakfast. But when she looked at Martin, he was not smiling. She found herself torn between the guilt of knowing that Sherry was gone and in sharing Frasier's happiness and relief that Sherry was no longer in their lives.

Wordlessly she stood and began to gather the breakfast dishes. "Can I get you anything else?"

Frasier mumbled a barely audible "No." While Martin said nothing. A quick trip to the kitchen to dump the dishes into the sink and then start a pot of tea and she was back at the table, trying her best to pretend as though nothing had happened; nothing at all.

But then something did happen.

* * *

She sat sipping her tea, feigning interest at the view from the huge picture window. The sun bounced off of the buildings, casting a beautiful glow across the Seattle skyline. And then she heard the rustling of newspaper.

"Hmm... Looks like we're in for another scorcher, according to that fellow on the local news channel."

This, for some unknown reason, peaked Martin's interest. "Which one?"

Frasier looked up in surprise. "Which one, what?"

"Which newscaster?"

"I have no idea." Frasier replied. "But I also had no idea that a weather-forecaster could be so well-versed."

Daphne tried to hide her smile. It was so like Frasier to carry on a conversation with his father over something so silly.

"Sure was hot last night." Frasier remarked. His words made Daphne stiffen, but she remained calm. That is, until his next comment. "Daphne, I trust that you were comfortable last night in the heat, wherever you were?"

She couldn't look at him; couldn't look at either man. Her head was swimming with thoughts of his handsome, sexy younger brother. Thoughts that were oh-so wrong. Oh God, had she really…

She shouldn't think about such things, even to herself. It was dangerous on so many levels. But she knew that in her heart that the dangers of thinking about him in the romantic (and sensual) manner could only lead to something else.

It was wrong to even think about going down that road… even if she so desperately wanted to.


	22. Chapter 22

In her room, the stifling temperature had cooled considerably. But Daphne wasn't thinking about the heat. She was thinking about Niles and all that had happened the night before. If it hadn't been for Sherry's harsh words and cruel comments, she would have been perfectly happy staying at home, hiding in the confines of her room. At least there she wouldn't be judged on what she read, wore or did. The painful memory brought threatening tears but she willed them away. She didn't want to cry, not tonight, not anymore. There was no need to cry. Sherry was gone and most likely wouldn't be back.

The guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders, but she repeatedly reminded herself that whatever had happened between Sherry and Martin wasn't her fault. Besides, she was still a bit hurt that Martin had chosen to take Sherry's side instead of hers. But there was nothing she could do about it now.

She sighed, staring up at the ceiling until she came to a decision. There was absolutely no sense in laying there, unable to sleep any longer.

Knowing that Martin and Frasier were most likely asleep (it was rather late, after all), she threw back the covers and rose from her bed. Despite the fact that the weather had cooled somewhat, it was still much too hot for her favorite nightgown; the thick cotton one that was adorned with black stars. Instead she wore another favorite; one made of much thinner, more breathable cotton; this one adorned with tiny white hearts. It was sleeveless and barely covered her hips. She only wore in on certain occasions; those rare nights when Frasier and Martin were gone and there was no chance of them seeing her in such a revealing nightgown. Heaven only knew what they would think or what comments they would blurt out where they to see her. But tonight she decided to take her chances. It was so late (or rather, early in the morning) that she doubted that anyone would see her. Even if they did catch a glimpse of her, she was certainly under no obligation to explain. She was, after all an adult, although Sherry had failed to notice that fact. Cursing under her breath, she forced that awful woman from her mind. And then as quietly as possible, she walked into the hallway.

The living room was dark, but the lights from the city skyline provided a dim pathway to the balcony door. Taking great care not to make a sound, she opened the door and stepped outside, and left the door ajar. A light breeze moved across her body, causing her to close her eyes and tilt her head back. In this position she could almost imagine that the wind was the touch of fingers moving gently and the sensation it brought could be felt everywhere; one place in particular. Oh, how she wished that she didn't have to fantasize...

After a few moments, she opened her eyes and sighed once more. Although it would be quite peaceful to spend the warm summer night on the balcony under the stars, it was, of course, impossible. Frasier and Martin were sure to spot her sooner or later and there was no way she could come up with a believable explanation, if Frasier demanded to know why she was on the balcony so late at night when she should be in her room, asleep. Really, it was none of his business, but somehow he always managed to make it his business just the same.

Yes, she should definitely go inside, but a few more moments enjoying the peaceful drone of the traffic below and the warm summer air wouldn't hurt her. She stared at the city, which seemed to have grown more beautiful since the night before. How was that possible? And then she thought of something else; _of_ someone else. The same someone she'd been thinking about for hours. She just couldn't get him out of her mind.

 _Niles…_

In his white shirt and pants he'd looked so handsome. Of course, he'd always been handsome, she just hadn't seen it; not the way she had seen it last night. He'd always been so sweet to her, even during the times when he'd driven her crazy with his pretentiousness. And he never failed to compliment her on her appearance. He was always there for her, even when she didn't need or want him to be. It was certainly a lot more than she could say for a lot of people.

And then she had a thought. It was a thought that startled her back into reality and a cold chill swept over her body, causing her to shiver. Perhaps Sherry had been right all along. Maybe she did need a man. It was no secret that Daphne had been with men before; lots of men, more men than Sherry could only attest to. But none of those men meant anything to Daphne. Not really.

The truth was that there was only one man who made her feel like she was worthy, like she was beautiful and that she could do anything at all; the man who had somehow become her best friend.

She wondered what he was doing right now. Sleeping, she imagined. She hoped that his lavish apartment had cooled enough to allow him to sleep. The poor man, he worked so hard and he needed his rest. And suddenly an image came to mind; the image of him in his bed, only a sheet over his body; his nightclothes loose, if, in fact he wore any clothing at all. Her heart actually fluttered and then she gasped lightly. Her face burned with flushed embarrassment, even though the only witness to her thoughts was the ball of light in the sky; the one that shared her name.

 _The moon_.

Perhaps it was a sign….

How could she think such things? But the image refused to leave her mind, and instead became more and more vivid until it devoured her entire being. The feeling of warmth, then the familiar quivering in that coveted place, sending waves through her. It was a feeling that she'd experienced before, but one that she hadn't had in a very long time. Her heart rate quickened and she took a deep breath as though to will the feeling away. But it remained, more determined than ever to overcome her.

 _No…  
_

The whispered word did little to quell the feeling and surfaced long before her mind knew what she was fighting, if only subconsciously. But she knew one thing. She couldn't do it; she couldn't just appear at his doorstep again as though she was on an everyday visit. It was the middle of the night! What excuse could she possibly have?

It wasn't hot (not nearly as hot as it had been, anyway), she hadn't had a row with Sherry (since Sherry was no longer in the picture) and she wasn't having a rift with Frasier. Martin, she suspected, was still angry with her, but she was sure that he'd forgive her, in time.

The feeling became stronger and stronger ; the need for her boss' younger brother so great that she had to fight to make it go away. But it continued to grow and she swallowed hard, willing it to leave. And still it persisted, staying like an unwanted intruder, pushing back harder and harder as she tried to shove it away.

And after a while she gave up. There was only one thing that she could do to quiet the feeling that raged inside of her. She had to go to him.

She needed him, badly.


	23. Chapter 23

She could feel her heart racing as she turned to go back inside and she was grateful that the balcony door had been recently oiled. She certainly didn't want anyone to hear her come in. She crept into the living room and made her way to her room. Quickly she changed her clothes, choosing a blue t-shirt; one that fit snugly against her body with a plunging V-neck that revealed a hint of cleavage (another shirt that she normally avoided wearing in the presence of Martin or Frasier) and a pair of slim fitting jeans.

And then she began the familiar process of packing her overnight bag. It was, of course, already packed, but she rummaged through it, making certain that she had everything. Oh yes, she would need a night shirt. Her eyes moved to the revealing pink nightshirt that she'd just tossed onto the bed and before she could change her mind, she grabbed it and stuffed it inside, along with a clean t-shirt; this one in a bright shade of red with a decidedly more relaxed fit.

In the bathroom, she gathered the essentials; toiletries and the small prescription bottle. It was funny how the absence of something so small had made such a huge, yet silent impact on her life. She smiled, realizing that she would never forget to pack it again. The memory would always be there, reminding her.

But when she moved to close the door, the items shifted, revealing the object that she'd tucked far back into the top drawer of her bathroom counter. The familiar pink and blue box beckoned her to look at it, as though taunting her to the fact that she would most likely never need it. She glanced at it only for a second before hastily returning it to its place, hoping never to think of it again.

She felt a wave of dizziness come over her and she grabbed onto the counter and closed her eyes, willing the feeling to pass. It did, eventually, but she knew that it would return. And there was only one solution. She had to get out of the condo. She needed to clear her mind (and her soul) of such thoughts, ones that she didn't dare think. When her bag was fully packed, she flipped off the bathroom light and took one last glance around her room. She'd be back soon, perhaps as early as a few hours when no one would even notice her absence. But just in case…

She went to the kitchen and grabbed a notepad, emblazoned with the familiar logo of the nearby Hilton Hotel. How it ended up in Frasier's kitchen was a mystery, for he was a man who wouldn't dare set foot in a Hilton Hotel. They were "beneath him", he'd said. But she had stayed there when she'd first come to America, trying to get settled into a job and found them quite nice. Lavish, actually. Much nicer than anything she'd been accustomed to in Manchester. But then again, she supposed that Frasier would hardly find Manchester to his liking.

A pen in hand, she wrote a quick note. A lie really, but what they didn't know certainly wouldn't hurt them. All that really mattered is that they were assured that she was safe. And her note would confirm that fact.

 _Dr. Crane and Mr. Crane_ …

 _I'm writing this note in the middle of the night to let you know that I'll be gone for a while. Please don't worry about me. You see, I got a call from a friend and, well… I'm needed there. I promise to be back as soon as I can, perhaps as early as tomorrow morning. But as I said, please don't worry about me. I'll be just fine. I don't have a number where you can call me so I'll call you as soon as I can._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Daphne._

As she wrote the words, she cringed at how wrong they felt and the lie within them. But it was the only way. She couldn't tell them the truth. Not this time. She could barely tell herself.

How could she possibly explain that she was leaving in the middle of the night to see Dr. Crane's youngest son and Frasier's younger brother, a man she'd just seen the night before and that it was his care and concern that had her fleeing back to his home, just to see him again? She couldn't stay at home; not when thoughts of Niles filled every part of her mind... and her body. Sherry was long gone, a fact that still bothered her somewhat, for she knew deep down that she was to blame for that. But what she was feeling wasn't about Sherry. It was about wanting to be with someone so desperately that she could hardly it was that need; that determination that had her rushing out of the condo and into the elevator, her heart making her feel things that she had no right to feel.


End file.
